4:45 PM - 6:45 PM
[1LBA119] In silico Identification and Baculovirus-Mediated Recombinant Expression of Putative Neuroactive Peptides from the Venom Duct Transcriptomes of Marine Gastropods
neuropeptides, turrid snails, gene mining, baculovirus-insect expression
Pharmacologically active peptides that target neuron receptors for possible anti-pain applications have been widely studied in marine gastropods belonging to the Conoidea superfamily. These were identified using low-throughput biochemical proceses that require large amounts of venom. A close phylogenetic relative, the Turridae family, has wide species diversity that could potentially produce a large repertoire of neuroactive peptides. Previous studies have shown that a bioinformatics workflow successfully predicted putative turripeptides. In this study, high-throughput next generation sequencing and gene mining using bioinformatics have identified peptides from the venom duct transcriptomes of the turrid snails Unedogemmula bisaya (Ubi) and Crassispira cerithina (Cce). Sequence comparison among the two species and another turrid snail, Gemmula speciosa (Gsp), show 9 conserved peptides among the three, 108 novel peptides for Ubi, and 38 novel peptides for Cce. Three identified peptides with post translational modifications that potentially target either the nicotinic, calcium, or ionitropic glutamate AMPA receptors are being produced in Sf9 pupal ovarian cells. We will be reporting the results of the purification and recombinant expression of the peptides and their bioactivity in mice through intracranial and intrathecal injection following the tail flick assay and the hot plate test.